Joseph Omeiza Alao, Hammed Adeniyi Lawal, Mohammed Shettima Nur
Department of Physics, Air Force Institute of Technology, Kaduna, Nigeria.
Department of Physics, Federal University of Kashere, Nigeria.
Heliyon. 2023 Jan 27;9(2):e13265. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e13265. eCollection 2023 Feb.
Understanding the impacts of open dumpsites and its implication on groundwater systems is a critical component of water security for sound long-term environmental management strategies. However, predicting the impacts of dynamic dumpsites on environmental systems is a difficult task that requires a technical approach. This paper applies electrical resistivity and physicochemical water analysis techniques to investigate the groundwater vulnerability to open dumpsite leachates and its potential environmental risk. A total of twenty-nine (29) vertical electrical sounding (VES) were acquired within and around the dumpsites. A physicochemical properties analysis of water from seven hand-dug wells (HDWs) within a 200 radius of the dumpsite was performed. The subsoil resistivity values encountered within the dumpsite and off-dumpsite vary from 2.4 Ωm to 17 Ωm and 68 Ωm - 611 Ωm respectively. The study links up the subsurface geo-electrical properties (resistivities) with the physiochemical water analysis, which affirmed the electrical resistivity technique efficiency in dumpsite investigation. The geophysical and water analysis results indicate that the groundwater systems within and around the dumpsite are highly susceptible to dumpsite leachates and require urgent evacuation to avoid the impending risks posed to both human health and the environment. While the geophysical analysis indicates high leachates infiltrating index in the subsoil, which invariably affects the groundwater resources, the physicochemical analysis indicates a high concentration of heavy metals, COD, BOD, TDS and high electrical conductivity (EC), affirming the geophysical results. The leachate plumes of the dumpsite suggest to have masterminded the groundwater pollution, the high heavy metals dominating the 7 HDWs have significantly influenced the chemistry of the groundwater quality within the area. Thus, dumpsite is the major cause of groundwater pollution. Indications show that the impacts of dumpsite leachates decreased with depth and source distance. More also, groundwater systems within a 200 radius of the dumpsite are at risk of a high vulnerability index. Besides the study indications, some influential regional factors such as climatic conditions, hydrology and geology of the dumpsites have further amplified the impending major environmental crisis. Consequently, the study suggests future environmental preservation for the future direction.
了解露天垃圾场的影响及其对地下水系统的影响，是健全的长期环境管理战略中水资源安全的关键组成部分。然而，预测动态垃圾场对环境系统的影响是一项艰巨的任务，需要采用技术方法。本文应用电阻率和水的物理化学分析技术，研究地下水对露天垃圾场渗滤液的脆弱性及其潜在的环境风险。在垃圾场及其周边共采集了29个垂直电测深（VES）数据。对垃圾场半径200米范围内7口水井（HDW）的水进行了物理化学性质分析。垃圾场内和场外的亚土壤电阻率值分别在2.4Ωm至17Ωm和68Ωm - 611Ωm之间变化。该研究将地下地球电性特征（电阻率）与水的物理化学分析联系起来，证实了电阻率技术在垃圾场调查中的有效性。地球物理和水分析结果表明，垃圾场及其周边的地下水系统极易受到垃圾场渗滤液的影响，需要紧急疏散，以避免对人类健康和环境造成迫在眉睫的风险。地球物理分析表明亚土壤中渗滤液渗透指数较高，这必然会影响地下水资源，而物理化学分析表明重金属、化学需氧量、生化需氧量、总溶解固体浓度较高，电导率（EC）也较高，证实了地球物理结果。垃圾场的渗滤液羽流表明是造成地下水污染的主因，7口水井中高含量的重金属对该地区地下水水质的化学性质产生了重大影响。因此，垃圾场是地下水污染的主要原因。迹象表明，垃圾场渗滤液的影响随深度和源距离的增加而减小。此外，垃圾场半径200米范围内的地下水系统具有高脆弱性指数的风险。除了研究迹象外，一些有影响力的区域因素，如垃圾场的气候条件、水文和地质情况，进一步加剧了即将到来的重大环境危机。因此，该研究为未来方向提出了未来环境保护建议。
